


With This Ring

by SugdenLovesDingle



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: M/M, Reunions, about Aaron's ring, robert has a lot of feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-24
Updated: 2017-07-24
Packaged: 2018-12-06 03:41:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11592189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle
Summary: Robert wears Aaron's wedding ring around his neck until Aaron is ready to put it back on his finger





	With This Ring

**Author's Note:**

> I made this rambl-y post on tumbr a few days ago, basically about how I'd like to see the boys reunite. With Robert wearing Aaron's ring on a chain around his neck. I thought I'd ramble a bit more and turn it into an actual fic.

“Diane?” Robert asks, turning Aaron’s ring over between his fingers, not even pretending anymore to eat the breakfast Diane made him.

“Yes, pet?”

“I don’t suppose you have an old necklace or something, do you?”

“A necklace? What do you want that for?”

“This.” Robert says, holding up the ring. “It’s Aaron’s. It doesn’t fit me but I want to wear it. Maybe on a chain.”

Diane sighs but decides against arguing with her step son on the state of his marriage. She’s done enough of that lately.

“I’ll have a look for you after tea tonight.” She promises instead.

He smiles, for the first time in weeks, and gets up from the table.

“Thanks. I have to run now. I have a meeting in an hour.”

“Don’t work too hard, pet.” Diane calls out after him as he rushes out the door, almost certain he didn’t hear her. And if he did, he probably won’t listen.

Robert is nothing if not impatient though, and ends up buying a simple chain in the first jeweller’s he comes across after his meeting. He sits in his car parked outside the shop and takes the ring from his pocket and slides it onto the chain. It feels strange, he thinks, when he puts the chain around his neck and fastens the clasp.

Robert has never been one to wear jewellery. It gets in the way and it snags on everything. But this is different. This is a way for him to be close to Aaron until he’s ready to give things another go. He slips the chain under his shirt and pulls out of his parking spot, onto his next meeting.

A few days pass and the chain starts feeling less weird and more like it’s supposed to be there. Just like when he started wearing his own ring.

“What’s this?” Vic asks, her hand on his neck, pulling the chain out from under his shirt.

“Nothing.” He replies and puts it back, all too aware of Aaron standing just a few feet away at the other end of the bar.

“It’s the ring isn’t it? Aaron’s ring. Diane mentioned something like that.”

“Let it go Vic.” Robert says, feeling his cheeks burn. It’s not that he doesn’t want Aaron to know he wears his ring around his neck, it’s more that he doesn’t want the rest of the village to know as well. The last thing he needs right now is for his little sister to announce it in the middle of a packed pub and make a show out of him.

“Why? I think it’s sweet.”

Robert mumbles a thanks before finishing his pint. He turns around to leave and locks eyes with Aaron across the bar. There’s a hint of a smile on Aaron’s face which confirms he overheard Vic’s comments. He wants to go over to Aaron and explain, but forces himself to walk out of the door instead. He promised Aaron he’d give him space so that’s what he’ll do.

“Rob. Robert. Hey. Do you have a minute?” Aaron asks, jogging to catch up with him. It’s been a few weeks since Vic all but shouted his business around the pub and even though it was embarrassing, Robert has noticed Aaron looking over to him more. As if he’s trying to figure out what he heard was true. Maybe Vic and her big mouth aren’t such a bad thing after all.

“Course.” Robert replies, tries to be nonchalant about it, tries not to think about the way he almost leaned in to kiss Aaron hello like he has a million times before. “What’s up?”

“Can we talk?” Aaron asks, falling into step beside him.

“Sure.”

They wander through the village, well aware of the curious looks they’re receiving.

“So uhm… how have you been?” Robert asks after a few minutes of somewhat awkward silence.

 “Alright I suppose…” Aaron shrugs. “Liv’s tutor has only threatened to quit twice… this week.” He adds with a chuckle. “And you?”

“Been better.” Robert admits.

“Yeah…”

“I’m not having a go. It’s just… well... it’s the truth.”

Aaron nods.

“I know.”

They walk in silence and somehow end up at the cricket pavilion.

“You and Pete seem to be getting on well lately.” Aaron says, trying to stop his mind from going back to the last time they were here. Fresh out of prison and deliriously happy.

“There’s nothing going on between us if that’s what you think.”

“What? No. I -”

“He’s just a mate.”

“I didn’t - ”

“He’s actually on my side in this mess. Even if my son turned out to be his nephew.”

“What?”

“The baby. Ross is the father. I asked for a DNA test when he was born. It just… there were these little slip ups, you know. Where she almost said I wasn’t the father.” Robert sighs. “She says she didn’t know. That she wanted it to be me.”

“But you don’t believe her.”

“I don’t know. I don’t know how I feel about any of this to be honest.” Robert says, rubbing the back of his neck, his ring catching on the chain. He doesn’t notice Aaron’s eyes lingering. “My head is a bit of a mess.”

“It might help to talk to someone about it.” Aaron suggests.

“What? Counselling?”

“It helps me. I’m seeing someone that specialises in self-harm. He used to cut too, then when he got better he went into psychology to help others. It really works for me.”

“Yeah? That’s good. I’m glad. I’m not sure it’s for me though. Baring my soul to a total stranger.”

“Don’t think of it like that. More like… talking to someone that won’t judge you for all the stupid shit you’ve done and helps you figure out why you did it and how to stop doing it.”

Robert nods.

“I’ll think about it.”

“That’s a no then.”

“What?”

“I know you, Robert. I know when you don’t want to do something but don’t want to say flat out no, you say you’ll think about it.”

Robert wants to protest but knows Aaron is right. He knows him too well.

“I will think about it. I promise.”  
  
_He does, and makes an appointment a few days later. Aaron drives him there and waits in the waiting room the entire time. In the end, Robert supposes, it’s not that bad to talk to someone about the mess in his head._

“Vic told me about the…” Aaron trails off and gingerly reaches out to touch the chain around Robert’s neck.

“Oh… right… yeah.”

He pulls the chain out from under his shirt, plays with the ring for a second before letting it drop to his chest.

“You wear it.”

“Yeah… it uhm… makes me feel close to you… even if you don’t want me around.”

There is a sad look on Aaron’s face.

“I didn’t mean it like that, I just… needed time to sort my head out. Figure out what I wanted.”

“And? Did you?”

“Getting there.”

Robert nods and stares at his shoes.

“I miss you Rob.” Aaron says and reaches out to grab his hand. “I’m sorry for pushing you away. I thought I couldn’t deal with the baby… but I can deal without you in my life even less.”

“Well… you won’t have to deal with the baby now. There is no baby.”

“Yeah… I didn’t know that when I said I wanted to talk to you earlier.” Aaron says and takes a deep breath. “I… I want to give things another go… If you want that too.”

“I do. You know I do.” Robert says, lacing their fingers together. “But I need you to be sure. I can’t deal with you pushing me away again if you change your mind. I can’t go through losing you again.”

“I know. I’m sure. You won’t.” Aaron promises. “I want to be with you. I just… I’m not ready to wear this again.” He says and taps the ring lightly.

“That’s ok. I’ll hold onto it until you’re ready.”

“What if I’m never ready?”

“Then I guess I’ll be wearing it for a long time.”

They go out for a meal in Hotten a few days later and it’s nice. It’s a little awkward at first but soon it feels like nothing has ever happened. Robert catches the waitress looking at his ring, and the lack of one on Aaron’s hand, knows what she’s probably thinking but can’t bring himself to care.

At the end of the night they say goodbye in front of Diane’s house and when Aaron kisses him, properly, for the first time in months, Robert feels like his heart is about to burst with happiness.

It goes on like that for a while. They go out on a date, have good time, share more than a few kisses but at the end of the night Aaron goes back to the Mill and Robert heads back to Diane’s.

“You want to come back for a beer?” Aaron asks just as Robert is about to turn around and walk back to Diane’s. They’d gone out for drinks, at Bar West of all places, but Robert had enjoyed himself. Mostly because they’d spent the largest part of the night snogging in a dark corner like teenagers. “Liv is home though, with Gabby… but they basically live in her room so they won’t bother us.”

“Yeah ok. I’d like that.” Robert agrees but they never get to the beer. As soon as they’re through the door Aaron’s lips are on his and Aaron’s hands are on his belt. Somehow they make it up the spiral staircase and into the bedroom, and well, sex has never been a problem for them. That night is the first night Robert stays over and the best night sleep either of them has had in a long time.

The next morning Robert wakes up sore in all the right places but no Aaron in bed next to him. He smells coffee and decides to get up and get his caffeine fix. He’s not exactly sure why he does it but he does take a second to check Liv is still asleep. It’s ridiculous and he knows it. Liv knows they’re back together, knows they went out together last night and he’s fairly sure half the village heard them come in.

“Hey what are you doing up? I wanted to make you breakfast in bed.” Aaron says when he sees Robert coming down the stairs.

“Woke up to an empty bed.” Robert replies, slipping his arms around Aaron’s waist. “Got lonely.”

Aaron rolls his eyes but kisses him.

“Soft git.”

“Don’t care.” Robert says and pushes Aaron against the counter and kisses him, breakfast be damned, they can go to Bob’s for breakfast later.

Aaron’s hands come up to the back of his neck as they kiss and Robert lets himself get lost in the feeling of Aaron’s beard against his skin, his lips against his own and his tongue in his mouth. He’d happily spend the rest of the day like this, but Aaron seems to have other plans as he pulls away suddenly.

“I believe this is mine.” He says, smirking and dangling the chain with his ring in front of Robert’s face.

“What?” Robert asks, confused as he watches Aaron put the chain around his own neck.

“Baby steps.” He says with a small shy smile and Robert wants to kiss him again but they’re interrupted by Liv stumbling into the kitchen.

“Morning Robert who definitely just got here and absolutely did not stay over last night.” She says with a grin and pushes past them to get herself some cereal.

“I’ll miss having you around, pet.” Diane says a few weeks later when Robert picks up the last of his stuff from her house, ready to move back into the mill. His home.

“Ah Diane he’ll only be across the road. You’re welcome to stop by any time you like.” Aaron tells her. “And I promise Liv and I will take good care of him.” He jokes and picks up Robert’s bag. “Ready?”

Robert nods and gives Diane a quick hug. Really, the woman is a saint for putting up with him moping around for so long.

“Let’s go home.”

It takes about an hour to put his clothes back in the wardrobe next to Aaron’s, his toothbrush and shower gel back in their en-suite and the book Aaron got him for Christmas on the bedside locker on his side of the bed. He smiles to himself, can’t believe how lucky he is to be back here with his family.

“Aaron says to get your arse downstairs ‘cos the food’s getting cold and he’ll make you sleep outside if you complain about cold Chinese again.” Liv says and Robert knows it’s her way of saying 'welcome home, I’m glad you’re back'.

They spend the weekend at home, just the three of them, watching bad tv and eating junk food. Robert files it away as one of the best weekends of his life but his eyes keep flicking over to the place where their wedding photo used to be. It’s almost a year to the day that they said their vows and exchanged rings in the garage. The ring Aaron still wears around his neck.

Aaron proposes exactly a year after his release. They’re celebrating the end of his probation and that he’s officially a free man again. Liv even manages to convince them to let her have a drink. Robert is distracted, arguing with her that a pint glass filled with whiskey does not equal one drink and doesn’t notice Aaron getting down on one knee in the middle of the pub. Not until he hears Bernice gasp and feels Aaron squeeze his hand to get his attention.

“Rob, we’ve had a crazy year, and there are a lot of things I wish I could change about it. But one thing I will never regret is our wedding day. It might not have been official but that didn’t make it any less real. To me, you’ve been my husband since that day.” Aaron says and grins a little at the awws from the people watching them. “And I know we’ve both said we don’t need a piece of paper to prove we love each other… and I still think that… but I also really do want that piece of paper. I want you to officially be my husband. Robert will you marry me? Again?”

“Yes.” Robert says immediately. “Yes of course I will.” He pulls Aaron to his feet and kisses him, can’t stop smiling the rest of the day.

It’s six weeks after that day in the pub. They’re at the registry office in Hotten. It’s their wedding day and Robert is nervous. He wants everything to be perfect but so far it is anything but. First his hair hadn’t wanted to co-operate that morning until Bernice had worked her magic and then when his hands had forgotten how to tie a tie, Pete had had to step in to save him.

“Relax. Stop worrying. Just enjoy the day.” Aaron says as if he can read his mind.

Robert smiles and kisses Aaron’s cheek.

“Oi! None of that yet. Let’s get you two married first.” Adam says, interrupting their moment. “Come on, they’re waiting for you.”

They follow Adam inside and take their place in front of the registrar. It takes 10 minutes for the guy to get down to business and awkwardly ask them if they want to exchange rings.

Robert’s eyes flick to the chain around Aaron’s neck and he starts to stammer an explanation until Aaron stops him. He takes the chain off and grabs Robert’s hand, letting the ring drop on his open palm.

“Will you do the honours mister Dingle?”

**Author's Note:**

> comments are ♥


End file.
